How to Change or Remove Windows Logo from Windows 7 System Properties?
Recently we posted an exclusive tutorial for customizing Windows 7 System Properties:
Ultimate Guide for Customizing Windows 7 System Properties
In the above mentioned tutorial, we told you about a system file “systemcpl.dll” which contains the code of System Properties UI. You can edit the code and change or remove desired items in Windows 7 System Properties.
Advertisement
Today in this tutorial, we are going to tell you how to change or remove Windows logo from System Properties in Windows 7. Windows logo in System Properties is shown at the right-side of window in “Windows edition” section as shown in following image:
If you want to change the logo or remove the logo, this tutorial will help you.
You can customize or remove Windows logo in System Properties using following 2 methods:
- METHOD 1: By editing shellbrd.dll file
- METHOD 2: By editing systemcpl.dll file
First method will allow you to remove as well as change Windows logo but the second method will only allow you to remove Windows logo from System Properties.
We have tested these methods in Windows 7 but they should also work in Windows Vista and Windows 8.
METHOD 1: By Editing Shellbrd.dll File
“shellbrd.dll” file contains the Windows logo image which is shown in System Properties window. This file is present in “%windir%\Branding\ShellBrd” folder. Here %windir% represents “Windows” directory which can be found in the system drive where Windows is installed. In most of the cases its C:\Windows.
Advertisement
1. First copy shellbrd.dll file from “ShellBrd” folder to some other location for example Desktop.
2. Now open the new file in Resource Hacker.
3. The Windows logo is stored in the file as a 32-bit BITMAP image in following locations:
Bitmap -> 1050, 2050 and 3050
4. If you want to replace the Windows logo with your own desired logo, replace the above mentioned 3 bitmaps with your desired 32-bit BMP file.
If you want to remove Windows logo, simply delete the above mentioned 3 keys by right-click on the key and select “Delete Resource” option.
PS: If you don’t know how to replace or remove resources in a file, check our exclusive Resource Hacker tutorial to learn more.
5. That’s it. Save the file and replace original file with it as mentioned in Step 7 of this tutorial.
METHOD 2: By Editing Systemcpl.dll File
You can also remove Windows logo from Windows 7 System Properties window by editing systemcpl.dll file and removing the code.
1. First open systemcpl.dll file in Resource Hacker and go to UIFILE -> 1001 key as mentioned in steps 1 and 2 of following tutorial:
Ultimate Guide for Customizing Windows 7 System Properties
2. To remove Windows logo, you just need to delete line number 133 containing following code:
<element id=”atom(WindowsEditionLogo)” layoutpos=”right” accessible=”true” accrole=”graphic” accname=”resstr(301)”/>
Or you can replace layoutpos=”right” with layoutpos=”none” in the above mentioned line to hide the logo.
3. That’s it. Click on “Compile Script” button and save the file.
4. Now replace original file with your new file using the step 7 of this tutorial.
That’s it. You’ll not need to restart or log off. Just open System Properties and get ready to see the desired changes.
yippieee. replaced it with windows 8 logo. xD
i tried to follow your tutorial but unfortunately i wasn’t able to make it, idk what’s wrong. maybe the file i chose to replace the original logo. Is there a recommended size/dimension/parameter of the bitmap pic?
Thank u. 🙂
^^ Make sure you save the file as 32-bit bitmap.
Nice VG!, This is the way We Can add logo to windows 8 CP
Thanks!
Tried to replace branding folder from release preview to consumer preview. Working perfectly. Even with branding folder from vista.
There is an app for this. “System Logo Changer” by Alphawaves
it’s nt wrking..when i go for save it shw a messege”can not rename original file.saving cancelled”.plz help
i also have the problem of :: can’t rename original file .saving cancelled 🙁
hey…all problems have solves except one… when i click replace it says ” invalid floating operation “… pls help me only in dis 1
hey… tx a lot yar.. i replace it wid my pic… tx a lot :)))) .. tx a lot for this guidance,,,,,, :)))) 🙂 🙂 😀
. guys if u have any pblm in gettin a 32 bit bitmap image
. use convert2bmp.exe … link is ::blogs.microsoft.co.il/blogs/arik/archive/2009/10/04/how-to-convert-an-image-to-32-bit-bmp.aspx
other easy option to change logo of windows 7
why most of the customizing tricks doesn’t works in 64 bit..
like-boot screen changer
this one and many more 🙁
please help 🙂
^^ Did you check following?
https://www.askvg.com/why-64-bit-windows-users-face-login-or-other-problems-after-modifying-system-files-using-resource-hacker/
This is fake when i do this process that file does not save from own folder and not replaced by other file “shellbrd.dll”… Please give exact solution to this process….
Noot working on windows 8.1 (but i made my own!)
i tryed and it says: “Cant replace the file shellbrd.dll”!!!
Hey VG. Do you know any way to change the Windows 10 logo that appears in the taskbar?
^^ You mean Start Button?
Hi VG. I am the same person from the last comment. Yes, I refer to the start button on the taskbar. Do you have any idea what file that logo can be found?
^^ Did you check Explorer.exe and Explorer.exe.mui?
Hi, it’s me again. Now I have Windows 11. With the Resource Hacker tool I have checked the two files you mentioned, but in none of them I could find the image of the start menu logo as it appears in the taskbar. In explorer.exe there are several png images, but no logo image. And in explorer.exe.mui (located in C:\Windows-MX because my operating system is in Spanish) there are no image files. Where else can I find it? what I want to do is to change the Windows logo in the taskbar for a custom logo and without using third party tools for example Clasic Shell, StartisBack, Start11 etc.
^^ You should find it in the .msstyles file of the theme.
Ok. The msstyles file that you mention, is the one located in C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\aero? because there are two msstyles files (aero and aerolite), I have checked them with Resource Hacker, but the Windows logo (in 12 different resolutions and in png format) that appears in both files is not the correct one, I mean, the Windows 10 logo appears but not the Windows 11 logo, and I’m using Windows 11. I don’t understand.
Another thing I want to know is if you know how to create a bitmap file (bmp image) with transparency? I want to customize the icons that appear in the toolbar and in the context menu of the file explorer of an app that I use daily, but I don’t know how to create a bmp image with transparency. Do you have any idea about this?
^^ The Aero.msstyles file. I’ll try to look in other files and will let you know if I find something useful.
Regarding transparency in BMP, you’ll need to use magic pink (R:255, G:0, B:255) color in background.
Thank you. So far I have not been able to find the Windows logo (other than the aero.msstyle file) in other files. I hope you can find it.
About bmp images with transparency, I have tried what you say. I have set the RGB value you mentioned as background of the icon, but at the end the icon in the toolbar (after a quick edit with Resource Hacker) also appears with the pink color. Also, not all bmp files with transparency use a pink background, I have seen them also with black background or another color. An example is the icon that OneDrive uses in the system tray, which is a bmp image with a black background and is inside the FileSyncShell64.dll file located in C:\Users\User_Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive\21.230.1107.0004\ I think it takes more than just putting a pink color for a bmp image to be transparent. Do you know more about this?
^^ I’m aware of Magic Pink color only and I have used it while creating Windows XP themes. I think you should try other graphics software to create the BMP.
Ok. What program do you use to create transparent bmp with pink background and how do you create them using your program? I am a newbie so I would like you to guide me step by step.
^^ I can’t remember. It’s been long time when I created those images for XP themes.
For programs that accept transparent BMP backgrounds, simply set the uppermost top left pixel (or lower right?) to the RGB value of the color desired to become transparent
@VG it’s a shame to hear that. So I’ll have to keep looking, I really need to know how to do it.
@Bill I have not understood well. Do you know of a tutorial where the process you mention is taught?
@Deigo why are you asking this? Windows XP is very outdated, time to run with current technology.